SEP Dard 120

SEP Dard 120 Stories

The Cold War era (1947-1991) and the advent of the main battle tank (MBT) required the use of armor-piercing weapons by the armed forces. This did not escape the attention of the French army, which survived two world wars on its soil (1914-1918, then again in 1939-1945).

In 1978, work began on a new, state-of-the-art 120mm rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) that could be fired from the shoulders of infantrymen. Societe Europeenne de Propulsion (SEP) was commissioned to develop and subsequently produce a new portable tank killer "DARD 120".

The DARD 120 went through several earlier small calibers in the "DARD 90" and "DARD AC1000" - they were built around 90mm and 95mm caliber barrels respectively. Introduced in 1981, the new system was designed for near mid-range range, with a "sweet spot" of 985 feet.

The gun was designed for a crew of two, although only one operator was required to fire it.

The DARD 120 has a 4.72" fin stabilized rocket with a range of 1965 feet (80 feet blast diameter). The launch tube is transported in two main sections, one of which holds a preloaded rocket and is disposable. The operator installed the two parts together and the system was up and running in minutes. For low-light environments, a night vision (NV) device is an optional accessory for standard optical sights.

The entire system weighs 31 pounds and measures 63 inches in length. The shell can break up to 820mm to 850mm of steel.

Specification

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